Question 1

Why must we be realistic about expectations when presidents are facing difficulties in implementing their unilateral actions?

Accepted Answer

A)  In practice, there is really no way for the other branches to resist presidential action. 
B)  Policy changes under a separation-of-powers system always come in fits and starts. 
C)  It is much easier to convince bureaucrats to execute laws than to convince them to execute unilateral actions. 
D)  The lack of self-executing mechanisms in presidential unitary actions increases their failure rate. 
A)  In practice, there is really no way for the other branches to resist presidential action. 
B)  Policy changes under a separation-of-powers system always come in fits and starts. 
C)  It is much easier to convince bureaucrats to execute laws than to convince them to execute unilateral actions. 
D)  The lack of self-executing mechanisms in presidential unitary actions increases their failure rate. B

Question 2

An examination of presidential power in the modern era demonstrates that presidents __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  wait to act 
B)  rarely seek power 
C)  defer to Congress 
D)  like to go it alone 
A)  wait to act 
B)  rarely seek power 
C)  defer to Congress 
D)  like to go it alone D

Question 3

A direct demonstration of political power by a president would be when a president used a unilateral action __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  to institute a policy that would not have survived the legislative process 
B)  to implement a law passed by Congress 
C)  to support the expressed congressional policy preferences 
D)  that is immediately undone by Congress 
A)  to institute a policy that would not have survived the legislative process 
B)  to implement a law passed by Congress 
C)  to support the expressed congressional policy preferences 
D)  that is immediately undone by Congress A

Question 4

The Libyan intervention plans of Barack Obama illustrates how __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  presidential proclamations can force action by the legislative branch 
B)  presidents are dependent on the actions of Congress for power 
C)  presidents can use the power of persuasion to achieve their goals 
D)  presidential action can reshape the nature of political discussion 
A)  presidential proclamations can force action by the legislative branch 
B)  presidents are dependent on the actions of Congress for power 
C)  presidents can use the power of persuasion to achieve their goals 
D)  presidential action can reshape the nature of political discussion

Question 5

In Neustadt's view, the president is more of a __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  partisan 
B)  clerk 
C)  national leader 
D)  demagogue 
A)  partisan 
B)  clerk 
C)  national leader 
D)  demagogue

Question 6

On what did President Eisenhower rely to force the integration of public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas?

Accepted Answer

A)  an executive agreement and an executive order 
B)  a proclamation and an executive order 
C)  a national security directive and a proclamation 
D)  an executive order and an executive agreement 
A)  an executive agreement and an executive order 
B)  a proclamation and an executive order 
C)  a national security directive and a proclamation 
D)  an executive order and an executive agreement

Question 7

What is a classified unilateral order that relates to the nation's security called?

Accepted Answer

A)  executive agreement 
B)  executive order 
C)  proclamation 
D)  national security directive 
A)  executive agreement 
B)  executive order 
C)  proclamation 
D)  national security directive

Question 8

Which statement about the use of unilateral power by presidents is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  The rising use of unilateral presidential powers suggests that presidents are getting everything they want. 
B)  The sporadic use of unilateral presidential powers illustrates the institutional uncertainties about their effectiveness. 
C)  The increase in the use of unilateral presidential powers does not mean that presidents are necessarily getting more of what they want. 
D)  The decline in the use of unilateral presidential powers indicates that power between the executive and legislative branches has been rebalanced. 
A)  The rising use of unilateral presidential powers suggests that presidents are getting everything they want. 
B)  The sporadic use of unilateral presidential powers illustrates the institutional uncertainties about their effectiveness. 
C)  The increase in the use of unilateral presidential powers does not mean that presidents are necessarily getting more of what they want. 
D)  The decline in the use of unilateral presidential powers indicates that power between the executive and legislative branches has been rebalanced.

Question 9

In which scenario would a president have a strong incentive to issue a unilateral directive?

Accepted Answer

A)  The legislative proposals under consideration by Congress harmonize with the president's interests. 
B)  Conditions of congressional gridlock have ended and Congress is ready to change the status quo. 
C)  Congress is poised to issue sweeping policy changes opposed by the president. 
D)  Both houses of the legislative branch are controlled by the president's party. 
A)  The legislative proposals under consideration by Congress harmonize with the president's interests. 
B)  Conditions of congressional gridlock have ended and Congress is ready to change the status quo. 
C)  Congress is poised to issue sweeping policy changes opposed by the president. 
D)  Both houses of the legislative branch are controlled by the president's party.

Question 10

The condition that exists when Congress is unable to act to change the status quo is known as __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  deference 
B)  stalemate 
C)  impasse 
D)  gridlock 
A)  deference 
B)  stalemate 
C)  impasse 
D)  gridlock

Question 11

Which act established a system for recording executive orders amongst a host of other items?

Accepted Answer

A)  Budget and Accounting Act 
B)  Administrative Procedures Act 
C)  Federal Register Act 
D)  Executive Reorganization Act 
A)  Budget and Accounting Act 
B)  Administrative Procedures Act 
C)  Federal Register Act 
D)  Executive Reorganization Act

Question 12

Presidents who are most successful in Neustadt's estimation are those that __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  broker deals and trade promises 
B)  act unilaterally and veto legislation 
C)  behave as partisans and refuse to compromise 
D)  defer to Congress and act as a clerk 
A)  broker deals and trade promises 
B)  act unilaterally and veto legislation 
C)  behave as partisans and refuse to compromise 
D)  defer to Congress and act as a clerk

Question 13

During his first term as president, how many executive agreements did Obama negotiate?

Accepted Answer

A)  250 
B)  500 
C)  750 
D)  1,000 
A)  250 
B)  500 
C)  750 
D)  1,000

Question 14

What does the success of George W. Bush's faith-based initiative illustrate about presidential power?

Accepted Answer

A)  Even though unilateral powers have limits, presidents can use them to shape both the content and the implementation of policies that Congress may not have enacted. 
B)  Presidents are most successful when they are persuasive and build coalitions with Congress to pass legislation that advances their common interests. 
C)  In the exercise of unilateral powers, presidents are still bound to respect and work within the limits of their formal constitutional powers. 
D)  The unilateral actions undertaken to effect policy change by one president are easily reversed or undone by a successive president or Congress. 
A)  Even though unilateral powers have limits, presidents can use them to shape both the content and the implementation of policies that Congress may not have enacted. 
B)  Presidents are most successful when they are persuasive and build coalitions with Congress to pass legislation that advances their common interests. 
C)  In the exercise of unilateral powers, presidents are still bound to respect and work within the limits of their formal constitutional powers. 
D)  The unilateral actions undertaken to effect policy change by one president are easily reversed or undone by a successive president or Congress.

Question 15

Which action could Congress take to check the actions of the president should he or she exceed his or her constitutional authority?

Accepted Answer

A)  cut funding for programs created by the president 
B)  eliminate the executive branch 
C)  fire the president's chief of staff 
D)  reduce the president's salary 
A)  cut funding for programs created by the president 
B)  eliminate the executive branch 
C)  fire the president's chief of staff 
D)  reduce the president's salary

Question 16

What are various ways in which the legislative branch of government has sought to constrain the unilateral actions of presidents? How successful has it been in its efforts? Provide specific examples.

Accepted Answer

A) Discuss how the checks-and-balances f

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of a unilateral directive?

Accepted Answer

A)  national security directives 
B)  presidential vetoes 
C)  the take-care clause 
D)  the vesting clause 
A)  national security directives 
B)  presidential vetoes 
C)  the take-care clause 
D)  the vesting clause

Question 18

Presidential directives that change an environmental rule on allowable pollutants by firms are __________ and take immediate effect.

Accepted Answer

A)  unconditional 
B)  classified 
C)  gridlocked 
D)  self-executing 
A)  unconditional 
B)  classified 
C)  gridlocked 
D)  self-executing

Question 19

Which of the following illustrates a president using unilateral action to exert influence over the federal bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jimmy Carter's creation of the OIRA through the Paperwork Reduction Act 
B)  Ronald Reagan's Executive Order 12291 that effectively coopted OIRA 
C)  Richard Nixon's veto of the War Powers Resolution passed by Congress 
D)  John F. Kennedy's National Security Action Memo on sugar quotas in Latin America 
A)  Jimmy Carter's creation of the OIRA through the Paperwork Reduction Act 
B)  Ronald Reagan's Executive Order 12291 that effectively coopted OIRA 
C)  Richard Nixon's veto of the War Powers Resolution passed by Congress 
D)  John F. Kennedy's National Security Action Memo on sugar quotas in Latin America

Question 20

Why do executive agreements increase executive power?

Accepted Answer

A)  They permit Congress to delegate broad swaths of domestic policy power to the president. 
B)  They allow presidents to negotiate formal agreements with other nations without the Senate's approval. 
C)  They are classified and thus are not subject to congressional oversight. 
D)  They have allowed presidents to expand their ceremonial role in foreign policy. 
A)  They permit Congress to delegate broad swaths of domestic policy power to the president. 
B)  They allow presidents to negotiate formal agreements with other nations without the Senate's approval. 
C)  They are classified and thus are not subject to congressional oversight. 
D)  They have allowed presidents to expand their ceremonial role in foreign policy.

Why must we be realistic about expectations when presidents are facing difficulties in implementing their unilateral actions?

An examination of presidential power in the modern era demonstrates that presidents __________.

A direct demonstration of political power by a president would be when a president used a unilateral action __________.

The Libyan intervention plans of Barack Obama illustrates how __________.

In Neustadt's view, the president is more of a __________.

On what did President Eisenhower rely to force the integration of public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas?

What is a classified unilateral order that relates to the nation's security called?

Which statement about the use of unilateral power by presidents is accurate?

In which scenario would a president have a strong incentive to issue a unilateral directive?

The condition that exists when Congress is unable to act to change the status quo is known as __________.

Which act established a system for recording executive orders amongst a host of other items?

Presidents who are most successful in Neustadt's estimation are those that __________.

During his first term as president, how many executive agreements did Obama negotiate?

What does the success of George W. Bush's faith-based initiative illustrate about presidential power?

Which action could Congress take to check the actions of the president should he or she exceed his or her constitutional authority?

What are various ways in which the legislative branch of government has sought to constrain the unilateral actions of presidents? How successful has it been in its efforts? Provide specific examples.

Which of the following is an example of a unilateral directive?

Presidential directives that change an environmental rule on allowable pollutants by firms are __________ and take immediate effect.

Which of the following illustrates a president using unilateral action to exert influence over the federal bureaucracy?

Why do executive agreements increase executive power?

Constitutional Origins

An Institutional Presidency

Power and the Institutional Presidency

The Nomination of Presidents

General Elections

Transitions of Governance

Negotiating With Congress

Political Control of the Bureaucracy

Presidential Relations With the Federal Judiciary

Public Opinion and the Media

Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

Economic Policy

Wartime Policymaking at Home

Appedix: Introduction Thinking Institutionally about an American Presidency

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Exam 8: Unilateral Powers

Why must we be realistic about expectations when presidents are facing difficulties in implementing their unilateral actions?

An examination of presidential power in the modern era demonstrates that presidents __________.

A direct demonstration of political power by a president would be when a president used a unilateral action __________.

The Libyan intervention plans of Barack Obama illustrates how __________.

In Neustadt's view, the president is more of a __________.

On what did President Eisenhower rely to force the integration of public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas?

What is a classified unilateral order that relates to the nation's security called?

Which statement about the use of unilateral power by presidents is accurate?

In which scenario would a president have a strong incentive to issue a unilateral directive?

The condition that exists when Congress is unable to act to change the status quo is known as __________.

Which act established a system for recording executive orders amongst a host of other items?

Presidents who are most successful in Neustadt's estimation are those that __________.

During his first term as president, how many executive agreements did Obama negotiate?

What does the success of George W. Bush's faith-based initiative illustrate about presidential power?

Which action could Congress take to check the actions of the president should he or she exceed his or her constitutional authority?

What are various ways in which the legislative branch of government has sought to constrain the unilateral actions of presidents? How successful has it been in its efforts? Provide specific examples.

Which of the following is an example of a unilateral directive?

Presidential directives that change an environmental rule on allowable pollutants by firms are __________ and take immediate effect.

Which of the following illustrates a president using unilateral action to exert influence over the federal bureaucracy?

Why do executive agreements increase executive power?

Constitutional Origins

An Institutional Presidency

Power and the Institutional Presidency

The Nomination of Presidents

General Elections

Transitions of Governance

Negotiating With Congress

Political Control of the Bureaucracy

Presidential Relations With the Federal Judiciary

Public Opinion and the Media

Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

Economic Policy

Wartime Policymaking at Home

Appedix: Introduction Thinking Institutionally about an American Presidency

Filters